Violin.



W. F. YOUNG.

.VIOLlN.

APPLI/CATI'ON FILED MAY 8, 1917.

INVENTOR Patented Dec. 31-, 1918.

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Specification of Letters iatent.

MIEJE-LR'ILL, WISGQBTSEN.

Patented Dec. 31,

Application filed May 8, 1917. Serial No. 187,232.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, Wanna F. YoUNe, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merrill, in the county of Lincoln and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new an expensively constructed violin.

Another ob ect of the invention isto produce an instrument or" this character that will entirely obviate the necessity of having a hollow body, such as is commonly employed in the ordinary violin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument of this character that will transmit the tone produced from the strings through a sound conveying duct toward the end of the instrument neck where the sound may be emitted through a born.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the preferred embodiment and in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which;

Figure 1 is a plan view of the instrument constructed in accordance with my invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a' section (in the line 33 of eferring to the drawing, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention, and in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the body 1 is constructed from a suitable p1ece of any preferred material such as light wood. The body may .be shaped to resemble the ordinary. violin if the same is desirable, but it is pointed out, that since no hollow interior is necessary, the

body maybe shaped to any preferred design, The neckQis constructed from any desirable material and is preferably shaped to conform substantially to the well known iolin hand slide, so that players of the violin may find no difficulty in using the present invention. The neck, however, is provided with a longitudinal groove 3 which is open for the greater portion of the length of the neck and is covered by the finger board 4, thus closing the groove and pro viding a part of the sound conveying duct 5. The enlarged end [of the neck is fined to the forward portion or the body 1, this fastening being accomplished by a suitable joint, the parts being glued together in any preferred manner such as is commonly found in instrument construction of this character.

A circular depression 6 is formed in the top surface of the body 1, and the center of the depression is at one side of the longitudinal center line/of the body. Arranged in this recess 6 is a diaphragm 7. Two annular rubber gaskets are arranged in the depression 6, and the marginal edges of the diaphragm are received between the gaskets so that the diaphragm is disposed substantially midway between the top and bottom of the recess or depression .6. It is to be noted that the outer annular wall of the depression '6 is cut away to provide a shelf" 8, upon which the diaphragm rests. The width of the gaskets is equal to the width of the shelf so that the exposed portion of the diaphragm is of substantially the same area of the neck. The duct opens at the end of the neck below the scroll portion thereof, and is connected to the tube 12 which supports a born 13 at its terminal; thus a direct passage is established between the horn and the diaphragm or space 9 in the body 1.

The tail-piece is fixed to the body in the usual manner and is oined to the strin s which overlie the finger board, and connect tilt the lever 15 at any desired angle to obtain the necessary adjustmentfor regulating the pressure. The outer end of the lever 15 is provided with an opening for receiving a screw 1'? which is extended into the body 1, while a metal washer 18, and. a rubber washer 19 are interposed between the top of the lever 15 and the head of the screw. lit must be observed that when the strings are drawn taut across the bridge 1 the pressure on the end of the lever 15 will be con siderable. Now, by virtue of the rocker support 16, the screw 17 may be adjusted to tilt the lever 15 on the rocker 16, and thus press upwardly against the strings until the end 20 of the lever 15 properly disposed for the purpose of attaching the same to the diaphragm.

Fastened to the center of the diaphragm is a pin which extends upwardly and is loosely received in an opening in the end 20 of the lever Surrounding the pin and interposed between the diaphragn'i and the end :20 of the lever is a rubber sleeve 21.

lt will be apparent that the screw 17 may be adjusted to raise or lower the end 20 of the lever 15 against the pressure exerted by the strings, so that the diaphragm will be relieved of any excessive strain.

The sound receiving chamber permits the sound to be conveyed through the duct to the horn so that the volume of the tone is materially increased. The mellow tone thus produced is obtained from a con'iparatively cheap construction and the same has heretofore only been obtained through the medium of finely seasoned and expensive woods.

From the foregoing it will be observed that a very simple and durable musical instrument has been provided, the details of which embody the preterred form. I desire it to be understood, however, that slight changes in the minor details oi construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim:

1. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of a solid body shaped to simulate a violin body. a diaphragm mounted in the body, the latter havin" a soundnoiwegdngg duct tern'iinating in Iin'iity to the said tlillpllltlgli'i, and a necl eeepeo mounted on the body and provided with a sound-conveying duct communicating with the said duct in the body.

2. In an instrument of the character de scribed, the combination of a solid body shaped to simulate an ordinary violin body and having a neck fixed thereto, a diaphragm carried by the body, the said body and the said neck having a sound conveying duct extending from the said diaphragm to the free end of the said neck, and a horn fixed to the neck and communicating with the said duct.

3. In an instrument of the character de scribed, the combination of a solid body shaped to simulate an ordinary violin body and having its upper surface provided with a recess, a diaphragm mounted in the recess, a neck connected to the body and provided with a longitudinal passage-way open at each end and in communication with the said recess and a horn mounted in the opposite end of the passage-way and projecting from the end of the said neck.

4. in an instrument of the character described, the combination of a solid body having a neck projecting therefrom, strings extending longitudinally of the neck and fastened to one end thereof and to the said body, a bridge supporting the said strings, a diaphragm mounted in the body, and means supporting the said bridge and connected to the said diaphragm whereby the pulsations of the strings will be communicated to the said diaphragm.

5. In an instrument of the character described, the combination of a solid body having a recess therein, strings disposed above the said body, bridge supporting the strings to maintain them in spaced relation from the body, a supporting element carried by the body and supporting the said bridge and extended over the saidrecess, and a diaphragm disposed in the recess and connected to the said element.

6. ln an instrument of the character described, the combination of a solid body having a circular recess at one side of its center, a bridge mounted upon the body, strings attached to the body and mounted on the said bridge, a pressure-regulating lever mounted on the body and adapted to tilt thereon and having one end extending over the center of the said recess and supporting the said bridge, a diaphragm mounted in the said recess, and means for connecting the said diaphragm to the end of the said lever whereby the diaphragm is vi brated.

7. In an instrument of the character described, the combination ot a solid body having a recess formed therein, a pressure regulating lever, a support mounted on the body and disposed to support the said lever to permit tilting i'novei'i'ient of the arm,

strings attached to the body, a bridge conveying duct communicating With thesaicl mountedupon the said lever and supporting the said strings above the body, a diaphragm arranged in the recess and connected to one end of the lever, means mounted on the body and connected to the said lever at the opposite end thereof to tilt the said lever on the support, the said body having a sound- I'BCGSS. l 0

In tBSt lIDOH Y whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two-Witnesses.

WALTER F. YOUNG. Witnesses:

C. I MILSPAUGH, SADIE VAN RossUM. 

